Q11 Chapter 19

Well here is the make up chapter I promised. Enjoy

Chapter 19 Who is not young?

At that moment, thousands of thoughts swiftly flashed through her mind. Chu Qiao knew that she could take advantage of his contempt and carelessness to severely injure him then get away quickly. But if she did, it would arouse suspicion, especially about who broke Zhu Shun’s hand, so even if she was lucky to escape, Xiao Ba might get involved.

   But if she does not flee, she will fall into that old sexual harasser’s grasp. By that time, how could she with an eight-year-old’s ability, resist the entire Zhuge Residence?

   To escape, or to not escape?

   Her body was tense while constantly turning her thoughts. Was there a way to thwart him or should she take this opportunity to get rid of that old man’s lust?

 In a flash, another sturdy man approached her, she quickly removed the dagger on her hand from the servant’s neck.

   “Hold on!”

   A clear and distinct voice suddenly sounded causing everyone to turn around to look. Within the scattered snowflakes where white mist churned, more than twenty men riding dark warhorses were quickly approaching. A youth wearing a white fur gown with a handsome face appeared, rushing forward.

   Suddenly, the horse made a long cry, everyone stood there with their warm breath hitting the cold air, forming a hazy mist. The youth, surrounded and protected by his guards stared coldly at them. When he spoke, the wisdom in his tone did not reflect his age, “Laotaiye (respectfully elderly gentleman) Zhuge, long time no see.”.

Laotaiye Zhuge sat with his eyes half-opened, looking up and down at the youth before smiling, revealing a yellow tooth, “Why, isn’t it Yan Shi Zi, the night is dark and the dew is heavy, does the Crown Prince not enjoy his home? What are you doing through this wind and snow?”

   Yan Xun didn’t retreat nor advance and neither was he arrogant nor servile when he spoke, “Thank you for your concern Laotaiye Zhuge, but with the night still ripe for me to enjoy, how could I fall asleep at home? The Shang Yuan Festival is still lively, this one is just out for the ride.”

   “Oh?”  Laotaiye Zhuge arched his eyebrows at that, “In that case, Yan Shi Zi, I will leave you to continue your tour, this old man will not accompany you, ” he finished, turned to a subordinate  and said, “Let’s return home.”

   “Just a moment…” Yan Xun quickly hit the horse forward to stand in front of Zhuge, then lightly pointed at Chu Qiao, “Your gentlemen can go on, but this child must be left behind.”

   The elderly’s brows gently pricked, “What does Yan Shi Zi mean by this?”

   “The child just scared away my horse, Jifeng. I want to catch her back to question!”

   Laotaiye made a smile, “In that case, this old man will compensate Crown Prince with a good horse.”

   “This is the Crown Prince’s family horse from the Western desert thousands of miles away. Our Crown Prince travelled great miles to get it, that good horse, you can afford it?”

   “Feng Mian, Shut Up!” Yan Xun’s brows lightly rose at that, rebuking the little boy that spoke from behind him, “The Zhuge clan is a powerful family of the empire. The Zhuge generals are one of the Presbyterian seven elders, they are so rich and powerful that even the royal family does not tread on them lightly. It’s only that Jifeng represents the affections of father and son. My father traveled thousands of miles away to personally tame that unusual horse and brought it back to Zhen Huang. So things cannot be so easily resolved,to find the horse, this child, I must take away.

   “Yan Shi Zi … …”

   “Laotaiye Zhuge does not need to speak more,” Yan Xun at once interrupted the old man, “I am aware of Laotaiye Zhuge’s prestige. There is no need for you to plead for a slave, this matter, I will directly bring to the Zhuge Clan’s 4th young master’s attention, now I will take this child away.”

   Yan Xun immediately went forward and pushed the sturdy attendant that followed Laotaiye Zhuge away, making him stagger. Then with one hand, picked up Chu Qiao to his bosom, and turned to leave.

   Zhu Shun saw Laotaiye Zhuge’s face turn purple so he quickly stepped forward, with a demeaning pose, holding onto Yan Xun’s horse reins and smiled, “Yan Shi Zi, I have something to say … …”

   “Shabu!” a whip sounded immediately, with Yan Xun promptly kicking Zhu Shun on the chin. He was disgusted he had to kick that obese body. Zhu Shun called out pitifully as he fell on the ground with his mouth full of blood and his yellow front teeth poking out.

   “What is your status? You actually dare to touch me! You simply do not know the immensity of heaven and earth!”

   Yan Xun looked at him sharply with his eyes, cold.

   Zhu Shun was shocked, and quickly knelt on the floor, panic-stricken. You must know that in the Great Xia Kingdom, the royal family could massacre people without reason.

   Yan Xun raised his whip at Zhu Shun and said chillingly, “Today, I must give face in respect to Laotaiye for your act of putting your hands on my horse. If on another day you do not respect this custom, even if the General Zhuge is here, I will take your dog head.

   Having said that, he did not even turn around to look at Laotaiye Zhuge before turning around, “Let’s go!”

   The troops immediately whipped their horses to depart. Behind them, they left a billowing of snow along the street.

   Old man Zhuge’s cheeks were red with anger, his left hand was trembling. Zhu Shun still kneeling crawled forward, holding on to Laotaiye’s feet. “Old Master, calm your anger. I only… …”

   “Go away!” The old man was furious and kicked at Zhu Shun’s chest,  “You useless waste!”

   Immediately, he went back into his carriage and left.

   The heavy snow was still falling nonstop, dispersing throughout the wind. The side streets had long become silent. A complete contrast to the bustling and levity of the main street. Dark seeds were buried under the snow, and Zhu Shun hatefully looked towards the end of the street. There…. it was the direction of Chu Qiao, who disappeared.

*****

   The warhorses stopped at the Chishui Lake, before a serious looking dignified boy smiled back, and punched Chu Qiao’s little shoulders,  “Little girl, you owe me a favor.”

   The child slightly raised her eyes. Although she did not speak, but the meaning was obvious, “I did not ask you to come.”

   Yan Xun refused to accept and grunted under his breath, “Will soft words kill you?”

   Chu Qiao stared at him and turned to leave.

   Yan Xun, surprised for a moment, hurriedly stopped in front of her, “Where are you going?”

   She raised her brow at that, “Of course, back to the residence.”

   “Do you want to go back?” frowning. “That dog will not let you go, and that old man is famous in Zhen Huang city, you want to go back to court death?”

   Chu Qiao a pushed him away, “I have no need for your lecture.”

   Yan Xun did not let her go, still tightly clutching her, “Do you not!? It is rare for this Crown Prince to have good intentions to save you, and all I get is your sarcastic comments. What’s so good about Zhuge Yue that it is worth putting yourself in that type of danger?”

   Chu Qiao raised her head. She was somewhat annoyed. Her plan to ruin that sexual harasser was destroyed. So she was impatient to throw off the hand of Yan Xun, and shout, “Did I cry and beg you to save me? Put away your compassion, I cannot bear it.”

   Yan Xun’s eyes flushed as he watched Chu Qiao go further and farther away. Until she was a small figure, then he abruptly and childishly shouted, “Inexplicable! You deserve to be bullied. I won’t go out to save you again, or my surname isn’t Yan!”

   The child did not even turn back. For a long while, disappearing into the turbulent flow of people. Feng Mian carefully came forward, meticulously reading his little master’s face. Seeing the young lord’s red eyes, seeming to be holding back his tears.

   Surprised, Feng Mian signaled the troops. The empire had gathered several young masters and princes to this imperial city to limit them, the crown prince of Jingzhong was a hostage in this region. There was also Prince Jing Xiao and the others, these children who were enjoying simple living were now in the center of a whirlpool and had grown precocious. So even with that, for the first time, Feng Mian saw his young master being so angry, was completely shocked. At the same time, he looked like an ordinary child.

   “Crown Prince, do we also return home?”

   “Ahem!” Yan Xun coldly grunted, still in the sound of anger, turned to lead the troops back to the Yan Residence.

   “Feng Mian,” he had not yet gone two steps ahead that he looked back at the little boy who declared, “You go to the Zhuge Residence, say I found Jifeng, so that they do not make things difficult for that girl.”

   “Ah?” Feng Mian was a little surprised, silly staring at the young lord, “Crown Prince, did you not say you won’t help her again or your name is not Yan?”

   Yan Xun furiously kicked his legs at Feng Mian and he immediately regretted it, “Monkey bastard, try to say that again!”

  Feng Mian groaned twice before turning around, riding the horse to the Zhuge Residence. He didn’t dare to say that again.

   Yan Xun angrily let out his breath for a while, but seeing the surrounding subordinates were looking at him, he suddenly shouted, “This prince likes being kind!”

   They quickly turned around and glanced at each other, not daring to look at the Crown Prince in the eyes. He was only 13 years old after all, he could occasionally do some childish things. It was nothing.

Previous Chapter                                                                      Next Chapter

TN: Glossary will be up soon. Working on it. A partial one is already up in the ToC.